Machine tools with tool change facilities



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19 Sheets-Sheet 18 Filed July 28, 1967 mmmwmw- BUG 1 iumfi wz d iwz wwmpwwnwfi wn/Mm 9 a, Q. 58 mwwoou n oh 0 l L 3 k, zoEmg 655,53 was 5 off 1F V25 33 mama 8 20 P won. W W B U69 5 55% L p 2228 ES 19 Sheets-Sheet 19 Sept. 16, 1969 J. HARMAN MACHINE TOOLS WITH TOOL CHANGE FACILITIES Filed July 28. 1967 United States Patent 32 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A tool change lathe "has two tool slides, a single tool magazine and two separate tool changers for transferring tools from the magazine to the respective slides. The individual tools in the magazine are identified by coded keys in the magazine. The tool changers each take a key from the magazine when the associated tool is removed and store the key whilst that tool is operating. Each tool changer has a head including a non-rotary part which, in combination with the magazine and the slide, forms a substantially closer circular track around which tools being exchanged are driven without axial displacement. The tools are located on the slides by toothed coupling rings in a plane perpendicular to the headstock spindle. One slide has a drive shaft extending through the toothed coupling ring. In each case the tool is transferred by the tool changer on to a draft member which is hydraulically actuated to draw the toothed coupling rings together. A mechanical locking arrangement guards against failure of the hydraulic system.

This invention relates to machine tools with automatic tool-changing apparatus and to such tool-changing apparatus. The invention relates specifically to the kind of tool changing apparatus comprising a tool magazine for receiving a plurality of tools, power operable drive means for moving the tools in the magazine relative to a support, tool transfer means for transferring tools to and from the magazine, and to and from tool mount means whereon tools can operate on a workpiece, tool identification means for identifying the position of a desired tool as the tools in the magazine are driven and control means for stopping said power operable means with the desired tool presented to the tool transfer means under the control of said tool identification means.

In a machine tool of the kind specified and in accordance with the invention the tool magazine has a plurality of tool locating means and a plurality of locating means for tool identification devices associated respectively with tools carried by the magazine, and means arranged to remove a tool identification device from the magazine when the associated tool is removed by the tool transfer means and to place a tool identication device in the magazine on placing of the associated tool in a tool locating means corresponding to the locating means into which the identification device is placed, whereby, in use, the tool identification devices provide an indication of the tool positions in the magazine for actuation of the tool identification means, such indication being corrected at each tool changing operation.

It is to be understood that the term tool used hereinbefore covers tools of all types including rotary tools such as drills, taps, reamers, form tools and milling cutters as well as turning or boring tools such as are used on lathes. In addition the term is intended to be applicable to such items as work-holding chucks, turning centres and the like. Furthermore the term tool is to be understood as "Ice including, where appropriate, the combination of a tool proper and a holder therefor.

The invention also provides a machine tool comprising a base structure workpiece mounting means on said base structure for mounting a workpiece for machining, at least two tool mount means independently movable on the base structure for carrying tools to operate on a workpiece mounting means, and at least two tool transfer means for transferring tools from a tool storage means to the tool mount means respectively, the arrangement being such that a tool change operation can be effected in respect of one of the tool mount means whilst a machining operation is in progress involving other tool mount means.

It is also a feature of this invention that the tool storage means comprises a tool storage magazine rotatable about an axis equi-distant from the plurality of tool transfer means so that any tool can be transferred from the magazine to any one of the tool mount means by the appropriate tool transfer means.

The invention further provides a machine tool including at least one tool mounting means, adapted to receive a tool for operating on a workpiece in the machine tool, an indexible tool storage magazine including a plurality of tool carrying elements for carrying tools for mounting on the tool mounting means, and a power operated tool transfer device for interchanging a tool on the tool mounting means with a selected tool on the tool storage magazine, characterised in that said tool transfer device includes a non-rotatable part, which is aligned with the tool mounting means and any one of the tool carrying elements to form a substantially continuous circular track for guiding tools during transfer, and an angularly movable part having tool engaging portions engageable with tools to displace them along the track on angular movement of the angularly movable part relative to the nonrotatable part.

The invention further provides a machine tool including at least one tool mounting means adapted to receive a tool for operating on a workpiece in the machine tool, an indexible tool storage magazine including a plurality of tool carrying elements for carrying tools for mounting on the tool mounting means, and a power operated tool transfer device for interchanging a tool on the tool mounting means with a selected tool on the tool storage magazine, characterised in that the tool transfer device transfers tools between the tool storage magazine and the tool mounting means without any axial motion being applied to said tools by said tool transfer device.

In accordance with another feature of the invention a machine tool with automatic tool change facilities includes a tool mount means comprising a casing, a toothed coupling ring mounted on said casing and adapted to coact with a similar ring on a tool holder to locate the tool holder accurately in position on the casing in a predetermined orientation, a draft member slidably mounted in the casing and movable by power means to a projecting position extending beyond said coupling and a withdrawn position, said member having means engageable with a tool holder to draw its coupling ring into engagement with the coupling ring on the casing, and mechanical locking means actuatable to retain said member in its withdrawn position independently of said power means and releasable on actuation of said power means, to move said member to its projecting position.

In accordance with a further feature of the invention, a machine tool with automatic tool change facilities includes a tool mount means comprising a casing which is movable on the machine tool axially towards and away from a rotatable work holding device of the machine tool and is also movable transversely, a toothed coupling device on said casing, which device extends in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the workholding device and hav- 

